Dirigible construction



June 14, 1932. A. c. PETERSON DIRIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 1, 1929 Fatented June 14, 1932 UNITED PATENT ADOLPHE C. PETERSON, 0F

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA IDIBIGIBLE CONSTRUCTION Application filed- May 1,

shall be more simple in construction than the usual form, which shall be stronger in proportion to its weight and therefore of greater carrying capacity, and which shall be more cheaply constructed. A principal object is to provide such a form of frame construction for the rigid type of gas bag or lifting bag that is more simple and more eliicient and of greater strength. A principal object is to provide a form of combination of the lifting bag with wings and motors which will provide greater safety in travel thereby. An object is to provide such frame construction for the lifting bag that greater safety is obtained. An object is to provide such a construction that much of the construction work of the frame is dispensed with while at the same time a rigid and strong or a stronger ship is provided.

The principal devices and combinations of devices comprising my invention are as hereinafter described and as defined in the claims. In the accompanying drawing which illustrates my invention like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a View chiefly in side elevation but partly in section, this view showing the side view with the gas bags or cells and envelope removed, in order that the other parts, namely the framework may be more readily illustrated.

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line IL-II of Figure 1, this view showing a transverse section which shows the gas cells or bags and the envelope as it is placed in place in and on the frame. This view, in so far as the cells, are concerned would be similar to any transverse section through any of the principal gas cell sections or divisions of the ship, that is between the so-called bulk heads.

Figure 3 is a side view of one of the transverse bulk heads, this view being taken from 1929. Serial No. 359,580.

either right or left of the Figure 1, looking at a bulk head.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view showing the wing more specifically.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of the main beam.

Referring again to the drawing, the letter A indicates the vertical truss wall and the letter B the horizontal truss wall of the airship. The vertical truss wall A has looking from the side the general outline shown in Figure 1 and it is formed of component horizontal truss beams 1 on the upper side and 2 on the lower side and chord truss beams 3 which are connected diagonally from truss angles to each other as shown and cross each other at their approximate middle portions. At the middle portions where they cross there is a main beam C placed, this beam also preferably of the truss form. The chord truss beams 3 and 6 at their middle portions are united to this main beam C. All of the trusses composing the framework described are welded together or riveted to form the rigid whole as shown and the individual trusses or beams composing the whole are formed of welded or riveted duralumin or other metal in the manner in which trusses of air-ships are generally constructed.

The vertical truss wall A and horizontal truss wall B form the main longitudinal members of the frame and form the principal rigidity giving members of the frame. These longitudinal members are crossed at distances of say fifty to one hundred feet, or more depending on the size of the ship by transverse bulk heads D, each of which is of the shape of a many sided plane substantially a circle formed by short trusses 7 about the periphery. In the plane of the bulkhead there are other trusses 8 whichare joined to the peripheral trusses 7 and to the longitudinal members A and B as shown, whereby these bulk heads D form transverse braces which rigidly keep the longitudinal members A and B in their relative positions and prevent them from twisting so as to lessen the angle either way between them and also to some extent prevent any twist throughout the structure. These bulkheads D may have as many trusses in their make-up as is necessary to procure the necessary strength and rigidity and the same is true of the longitudinal members A and B. At the front end the longitudinal members are so formed that they form a round blunt nose of the ship and at the rear end they are so formed that they form the usual tapering tail of the ship.

The structure or framework so formed has stretched longitudinally from front to rear end of the ship in substantially parallel lines wires or cables preferably of steel, piano wire twisted or of lighter metal and each of these cables 9 passes from bulkhead D to the bulkheads in turn from front to rear and are at each bulkhead secured to the apex of the angle formed between adjacent trusses 7. These cables 9 thus constitute an exterior form for the ship together with the bulk heads D nd they also serve to give additional strength to the ship securin the ship against bending or breaking and giving support to the bulkheads by their tension. Each cable 9 may be formed of many parts having tension or adjustment screw links at each bulkhead D that is connecting the cable to the bulkhead. Diagonal cables 10 may be added to give additional strength and add to the resistance against twisting of the structure.

The framework thus formed has spaces form-ed ii each of which su ietantially the form of a ri ht an led sector of a circletransversely and is, say fifty'or one hundred feet long. Each space thus has two sides forming a right angle and hasa third side formed by the cables 9 and each space thus forms a space wherein are placed a lifting cell 11 formed of the usual gas retaining rubberized or other material, preferably a rubberized textile, and on the inward angle of the space has an adjusting cell 12 which will have either air or a fuel gas within it. The adjusting cell 12 has within it a supple mentary air cell 13. These adjusting cells 12 and air cells 13 are intended to be kept so inflated either with the fuel gas or with air that they will keep the lifting cell 11 inflated to its proper pressure and will keep the latter in its position with its exterior wall against the envelope 14 which is secured to the cables 9. Any air blowers may be used to inflate the air cells 13 as the fuel gas cells 12 are deflated, or to add additional inflation to these cells 12 and 13 in case the cells 11 lose some of their lifting gas or helium. The envelope 14 is of any strong material as rubberized textile material and is secured to the cables 9 by any means as by twine or by clips, or by additional flaps of the material which pass about the cables and are secured to the envelope 14.

The frame has on its underside forwardly projecting hook like supports 15 and 16 respectively for a forward fuselage 17 and a rear fuselage or car 18. The cars 01' fuselages 17 and 18 are constructed in the usual shape of a hydro-air-plan'e fuselage and they have on their upper sides loops 19 and 20 by which they are supported on the supports 15, 16. Pins or bolts 21 and 22 provide means whereby the loops are securely kept in place on their supports but by which they may be released when the pins or bolts 21 and 22 are withdrawn. Each fuselage has passing through it transversely a forward pivotable spar and 24 respectively and a rear spar and 26 respectively. The rear spars may move upward or downward in arc-like slots 27 and they are adjusted in their positions by screws 28 or other means acting between the spars and the fuselage construction. Thus the angle of the wings 29 and 30 formed on the spars may be adjusted to conform to the necessity in travel. Each wing 29 and 30 is an extensible wing as shown by the dotted lines 31, so that the wing area may be lessened or enlarged. The mechanism for this extension is not shown since that is not intended to be a part of this application, but this construction should preferably be as shown in my other application showing such construction.

Each wing 29 and 30 of each fuselage has fixed at the forward end or leading edge of the wing an engine 33 and propeller 34 driven thereby. Since the wings are adjustable in their angularity or inclination so therefore is the propeller attached thereto.

Each fuselage has on its rear end horizon tal stabilizers and rudders 35 and vertical stabilizers and rudders 36. The frames A and B have also supplementary rudders 37 and 38. The wings 29 and 30 form supplementary stabilizers and they may be used as elevators, by changing their inclination. Likewise by changing their inclination their motors may act in part as upward or downward drivers while at the same time acting in part as forward propellers. The motors may be capable of driving the propellers both in forward and reverse direction. Or there may be supplementary motors and propellers supported by the bulkheads D.

In flight or travel the lifting cells remain normally inflated but their size is always compensated for by the adjusting cells and air cells by the blowers provided therefor. The motors on the wings 29 and 30 may be used to drive the ship or the supplementary motors and propellers 39, 40 may. In case ofany damage which renders the ship unair-worthy,

the operators may dislodge the pins or bolts 21 and 22 and thereby the fuselage with its wings and motors and propellers are freed to be drawn away by the propellers.

It is to be noted that the wings 29 and 30 may be given varying inclinations suitable to the situations applying. For instance when the ship is operating in its normal condition for level travel, the wings would be given that inclination which best suits that travel and they may then merely act as stabilizers. If the ship is to elevate or descend in travel, the wings may be given a suitable inclination to assist in procuring that end. If the fuselages are to be released the wings 29 and 30 are then given that inclination which is normal to flight of the fuselages separately as airplanes or as gliders, and thereupon they may be released and with their separate motors running will procure a release from the ship by the drag of the propellers in pulling the fuselage away from its mounting, the bolts having been first removed. These bolts or releasing pins are shown mere ly diagrammatically, and it is to be noted that they may have such a form as will best contribute to the end sought and they may be air pressure operated or operated by other means by power to procure quick releasing when desired. In releasing it is to be noted that the fuselages may be released simultaneously or separately, in the latter case, the rear one being preferably released first. It is to be noted that only one fuselage may be provided in this case greater ease of releasing being procured. It is to be noted that the fuselages may be large enough to provide sufficient carrying capacity for safely removing the persons carried by the ship in travel, under emergency and other accommodations may be provided in the frame of the ship. A, B, and D members are covered with a taut fabric to resist pressure of cells.

While I have shown particular devices and combinations of devices in the illustration of the device I contemplate that other detailed devices and combinations of devices may be utilized in the realization of my invention.

What I' claim is:

1. A rigid airship comprising in combination, a central longitudinal vertical member of metal construction and having a lattice work construction and plan form substantially that of the vertical section of the airship, a longitudinal horizontal member of metal lattice work construction and having a form substantially that of the horizontal section of the airship, transverse lattice work structures fixed to the longitudinal members at intervals and having an outer circumferential form substantially that of the transverse cross section of the airship at the point of location, longitudinal tension cables stretched each from end to end of the airship each braced at a remote circumferential point of each transverse lattice work member inwardly against the member and anchored by its ends at the ends of the airship substantially on the longitudinal axis of the airship to the lattice work longitudinal member structure to provide by their tension against bending longitudinally of the airship, and gas supporting cells within the structure formed disposed in the spaces bounded by the structural members.

2. A rigid airship comprising in combination, a central longitudinal vertical member of metal construction and having a lattice work construction and plan form substantially that of the vertical section of the airship, a longitudinal horizontal member of metal lattice work construction and having a form substantially that of the horizontal section of the airship, transverse lattice work structures fixed to the longitudinal members at intervals and having an outer circumferential form substantially that of the transverse cross section of the airship at the point of location, longitudinal tension cables stretched each from end to end of the airship each braced at a remote circumferential point of each transverse lattice work member inwardly against the member and anchored by its ends at the ends of the airship substantially on the longitudinal axis of the airship to the lattice work longitudinal member structure to provide by their tension against bending longitudinally of the airship, gas supporting cells located in the angles formed by the longitudinal members and fluid pressure adj ust- 1 ing ballonets in each such angle adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the airship.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of October, 1928.

ADOLPHE G. PETERSON. 

